


Know Thyself

by frek



Category: Dollhouse, Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Gift Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-02
Updated: 2009-06-02
Packaged: 2017-10-28 09:34:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frek/pseuds/frek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Topher remembers the unsettling past of one of the actives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Know Thyself

**Author's Note:**

> Gift fic for Mousewings on LJ.

"I don't like my active." The handler, Jameson, said, watching his active warily from the balcony. Charlie was in the atrium, doing yoga. He was taller than most of the other actives, his features more pronounced. He tended to stand out amongst the others. Jameson didn't know his history; just that he was stuck with him until it was time for the active to be moved to the attic or to move on. And honestly, Jameson thought, that day couldn't come soon enough.

Topher looked up from his monitor and nodded in agreement, knowing full well the history of that particular active, "Lucky for me - unlucky for you – that's not my problem." He smiled, "You'll have to take it up with the boss lady. And I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't take too kindly on handlers wanting to bail on their actives."

"I know," Jameson continued, "But he's just so…" he trailed off, trying to think of the right word to describe Charlie.

"Creepy?" Topher supplied, before turning back to his monitor.

"Yeah. He kind of stares right through you. Even when he's been wiped. It freaks me out."

"Yeah, he does that." Topher pressed a couple keys then stood up to retrieve a hard drive from the rack. "Listen, if it's not too much trouble, I have a lot of work to do here and would love to be able to concentrate on that. Unfortunately, you coming here and bringing up Mr. Creepy doesn't exactly help."

Jameson didn't seem to get the hint. He continued to stand in place, staring down into the atrium.

"What that means," Topher continued, showing his irritation, "Is that you go and do whatever it is that handlers do when the actives are all empty-headed and leave me to my work."

Jameson finally looked up, "Are you sure Charlie is really empty, like the others? Sometimes I feel like there's something more behind that stare."

Topher tried to ignore Jameson's sentiment, reassuring him as he was reassuring himself, "There's nothing to worry about; the software I run takes care of every speck of his former personality. He's just as much a blank as every other active down there. Seriously, though, I need to work, and you need to go." He said this, practically pushing Jameson out of his lab. Once gone, he closed the door behind him. With a loud click, his lab was finally silent once more. Unfortunately, his mind wasn't.

 _So Jameson thought Charlie was creepy_ , Topher mused, _huh. Well, he didn't see Charlie when he was first brought in. During the initial interview. Talk about creepy._

\- - -

His paperwork said Gabriel Gray, but he called himself Sylar. He was a charity case. Apparently he was sent to the Dollhouse by a friend of Ms. DeWitt. He came in handcuffs, brought in by two men, one older - wearing horn-rimmed glasses - did most of the talking for Gabriel, the other - dark skinned, Haitian, maybe - didn't talk.

Mostly, Gabriel didn't say anything, he spent his time in the conference staring at Topher, Ms. DeWitt and the security team. It almost felt like he was trying to memorize their faces. The stare was cold and penetrating. Topher felt like the man could see down to his very soul. It still gave him chills to think on it.

"I'm sure Ms. Petrelli will be pleased with the facilities we have for keeping our actives safe and cared for." Ms. DeWitt, spoke to the two men beside Gabriel, rarely even glancing at the man between.

"I'm sure Ms. Petrelli doesn't care about safety and comfort, aside from hers and her family's. All she requires is that Gabriel will be _taken care of_." The man in the horn-rimmed glasses said in response.

Ms. DeWitt pursed her lips at his words. "Yes, well, I can guarantee that we will do just that."

She went to turn to Topher when Gabriel spoke. He didn't direct his words toward any one person, though he was staring at, no, staring _through_ Topher.

"I know what you're planning on doing to me." His voice was low, threatening. Topher looked over at Ms. DeWitt, but she seemed transfixed by Gabriel. "I want you to know that I won't forget."

Topher's eyes darted to the men flanking Gabriel, the man in the horn-rimmed glasses was looking at the other, his eyes questioning.

"I know who I am," Gabriel continued, still staring through Topher. "No computer or man can make me forget. My name is Sylar. I. Am. Sylar."

Topher's eyes were wide, he could feel sweat begin to prickle at his skin. "Okaaay." He looked over at Ms. DeWitt, his eyes screaming _help me_.

It was at that moment that the Haitian rested a hand on Gabriel's temple, causing the man to drop his gaze and stop speaking. He sat back down and Gabriel stayed in a sleep like state - for the moment, anyway.

Topher laughed nervously, glad to be free of that stare. "Wow. Heh, that was intense, yeah?"

Ms. DeWitt looked unfazed. She passed a form over to the two men. "I just need you to sign here, releasing Mr. Gray to our care. Afterward, I'd like you to follow me and Topher into the house to assist with Mr. Gray's transition."

The man with the horn-rimmed glasses nodded, signing the paper and passing it back to Ms. DeWitt. "That shouldn't be a problem."

Ms. DeWitt turned to Topher, "Topher, I believe Charlie is free, correct?"

Topher nodded, still quite shaken.

\- - -

Topher shuddered. After the confrontation in the conference room, Gabriel was subdued. Whatever the Haitian had done to him seemed to have effectively killed his urge to fight back. Topher was relieved by that, yet something still stuck in the back of his mind about what Gabriel had said.

Even now, with him in the Dollhouse and his mind wiped, he still seemed to stare right through Topher. His eyes seemed to be saying just what Gabriel did that day, like he was still there just under the surface. The voice echoed in Topher's mind, controlled, smooth and promising of violence. Topher just hoped that it never surfaced. He feared things could get bad if it did. Bad enough to make Alpha seem like a dream.

\- - -

In the atrium, Charlie watched as Topher paced his lab. An inkling of a promise nagged at his mind, a name, a past he couldn't quite remember. It was only a matter of time before it came back to him. He was patient. He didn't mind waiting.


End file.
